At forty years of age, and nearly that long living in Chicago, I have relocated to Santa Fe, New Mexico. After two months of living here I am finally beginning to feel the reality of this statement. It's taking a while to get grounded, and I am not sure if it's because I've moved as an adult, or if it's because I've spent so much time this year with my feet, literally, off the ground. Probably the high altitude contributes. A colleague of mine called it, "Sky Energy"here. I believe it.
I wouldn't wish on anyone the feelings of grief and unreality I've experienced in leaving good friends and family and even my beloved cats back in Chicagoland. As I was packing, day after day, I grew sadder and angrier, and eventually started questioning if it was worth it. Every year that winter has begun since I was 18, I've told myself,"This is my last winter in Chicago. This is my last winter in Chicago...(insert cursing)." And yet, as I was leaving it, and breaking so many hearts including my own, I became so grateful for the many years, and even the winters, that I spent there.
There really isn't any substitute for the deep bonds that form between friends over time. And anyone who has not lived a good number of years with an animal companion can not know the bonds that grow between human and animal. For various reasons I'd rather not divulge at this point, I couldn't bring my two cats. I had a few friends suggest donating them back to the shelter where they were adopted, but I couldn't bear the idea of putting them through the trauma of that, and possibly never seeing them again. At the time of this writing they are living in the condo where I lived, with a "catsitter"; they need a home where they will get the loving attention they deserve.
All that aside, Santa Fe has been a magical place for me. I've experienced such strong creativity and spirituality and kindness. Strangers smile and say hello to me as if they know me. People act as if they recognize me. A man drove by me in a pick up truck while I was walking, and said,"It's really nice to see you today!" While waiting at a bus stop, another man walked by me and said,"Did you get that monkey? Oh, excuse me, I thought I met you at Whole Foods." Cars not required to stop actually stop to allow me to walk across a street. It's like I'm being welcomed home from a long journey.
Yesterday one of our neighbors also renting on the same property, who we have not introduced ourselves to yet, called up "Hello, neighbor!" to me on our second-floor terrace in dark. I was amazed. Either it's a small town phenomenon (ok, Santa Fe isn't that small, hovering around sixty thousand), or it's Southwestern hospitality, or somehow the high elevation (7,000 feet), forces people's heart muscles to work harder making them naturally big-hearted.
A new acquaintance put it very nicely; many people here are here because they choose to be here. I know this is not the only explanation, though. There is a magic and beauty to this place that magnetizes.
I love how I can use the terms, "Reiki" and "Shamanism" in a conversation with a virtual stranger and instead of getting funny looks I actually get a smile of recognition. I don't have to talk about football. People actually talk about sunsets, even though we are graced with the dazzling beauty of the sun and sky everyday. I don't feel so much like a freak for stopping to watch the mountains, or the raven that just flew overhead.
I flew to Santa Fe on October 27th to join Loic, who had already been here for a bit over a month. On November 16th we were married in a small room with a kiva fireplace at the hotel where he works, by a woman with long white hair. I wore all white and a borrowed dress from my good friend Michele. It was so last minute we kept it small, and luckily, my parents and my two brothers, along with Michele, were able to make it. Loic set up Skype with his family in France, so they were able to watch, if not fully understand, the ceremony. Lunch at the restaurant in the Inn of the Anasazi, (Loic's hotel), was incredibly delicious.
While we made preparations for the wedding, I asked Loic to prepare a toast at our lunch. It was amazingly moving, although he demanded most strictly that I not repeat it or broadcast it (my brother recorded it on video). I feel it's a shame, but I am honoring his demand.
It was a beautiful and precious wedding... spontaneous. I loved feeling like a princess. I told Mom later that every woman should get to have that once a week! Dress up, with a bouquet, get toasted with champagne... and a delicious meal that even now makes my mouth water. What a life.
I am writing this entry in our lovely apartment, where I can watch the sun rise over the mountains in one set of windows, and the sun set through another, or all of the above from the terrace, also known as the deck. I have the indulgence of internet at home for the first time in fifteen years. That alone is such a gift, and has helped me feel a lot less lonely here in my new home.
To be continued!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Our Stay In Rochefort, France
This entry was written while in Rochefort...
If Americans have a tendency towards excessive use and overconsumption of natural resources, then in contrast, my impression of the French is a tendency towards extreme conservation bordering on neurotic deprivation. This can be illustrated in Loic’s parents’ conservation of water and other household utilities, and the refusal to use the clothes’ dryer. They are not poor.
A most significant illustration is Loic’s extreme distaste for spending money in any way. I believe that if Loic and I were swimming in wealth he would still avoid spending money wherever possible. I acknowledge that I have unusual values as an American in that I like living with less and what I do possess is often second-hand or found. Although I am starting to feel that money and the security it brings are an illusion. (I am currently in the middle of reading, "Busting Loose From the Money Game." Very intriguing.)
In contradiction to their conservation, the French love good food and drink, and I have been served more glasses of Champagne in the six weeks I have spent in France than I have previously consumed in my entire life up to this point, and that includes, “Sparkling Wine”. Today I was fed Foie Gras and caviar as a guest at dinner. Actually, I have been virtually force-fed to eat much more than I would like at times, which has been often, during the family’s long, paid holiday time. Was the intent to make foie gras out of me? No, it was simply the cultural imperative to feed a guest one is showing hospitality to. Mind you, the food was delicious.
I have been fed rabbit, langostines, duck, mussles smoked in a barbecue of pine needles (a regional specialty), and tried one half of a snail (bleccchhh). My favorite dishes have been Vinegar Chicken (with shallot, mushroom, sundried tomato in a fabulous clear sauce--unbelievable, and Loic cooks it, too), and a beef fondue, both prepared by Loic’s mother, Evelyn. I have enjoyed some fabulous wines from the Bordeaux region (the French people’s favorite, I think), as well as a few from Bergerac in the Dordogne region.
By far my favorite (alcoholic) drink here is red Pineau, a regional drink of Charentes-Maritime, the family’s region. I believe it is the juice of the Pineau grape added to brandy, and fermented for at least a year. Families often grow the grape in their yards. I absolutely love it.
Loic’s home region is also world-famous for their sea salt, in particular, Fleur de Sel, literally translated as “Flower of Salt”, a very pure salt which is hand-harvested and sun-dried, and intended to be eaten raw on top of things like sliced tomato. My favorite, though, is the less-prized, grey and hence more flavorful as well as nutritive, Sel de Mer. I brought back a kilo or something, and spread the love.
I have witnessed such wonderful animals and wildlife in France. Especially on the winding, two-lane roads which are known as national roads. Storks nesting on the power lines and in flight, cattle in every color, donkeys, horses, sheep, the “Pi” bird, which looks like a crow but is black and white with a long thin tail. Martins, snails, wild swans, hawks and eagles, chickens and roosters, ducks, pigs, frogs and crawfish in a puddle, an 80-year-old pet tortoise. Huge, opalescent jellyfish washed up on the beach. Lavendar used as an ornamental, wild poppies, and chamomile.
I have toured more medieval castles, fortresses, and cities than I thought I ever would. Roman ruins and prehistoric caves to boot.
I have been thrown into very long parties, at times lasting 12 hours long. Talk about language immersion.
I will miss the “bonjours” that even young boys have said to me in the street. I will miss the cheek-kissing which brings an immediate sense of intimacy, belonging, and affection. I will miss the continuity of tradition, the sense of beauty here. I will miss every house possessing terra cotta roof tiles, and the white stucco over the stone house walls. And yes, I will miss all of Loic’s family, from his dear grandparents to the youngest nephew, 4 years old at the time of this writing, who sometimes drove me crazy. France I will miss you!
Lastly, on Thursday the 29th of July, 2010, Loic proposed to me in a park in Rochefort, France. We were sitting on a park bench, and he got down on one knee and, with a beautiful diamond ring, asked me to be his wife. He had actually bought a ring, he later told me, in March of 2008, on impulse. This is very unusual for him, since as I have said, he is not the type to spend money, especially impulsively. He said he wasn’t sure when he was going to propose to me, and unbelievably, this ring travelled with him to a number of countries, and stayed with him in some pretty low-security places. I had actually discovered the ring accidentally while looking for a room key in his bag, while in Costa Rica, and I knew he was carrying the ring with him to France.
I watched what I thought were Special Moments fly by during our trip to France. I know that I didn’t make it especially easy for him to propose, I’ll admit. Eventually, as our holiday started wind down, I started to push him, saying things like, “You know, the perfect moment isn’t going to just happen on it’s own, you need to make it happen,” and, “I would very much like to be proposed to before I get on another plane.” It was two weeks until our flight. A day or two later I said, “Ok, you have only one week to propose to me, because if I give you until the day of our flight, it may not happen here! You have until Thursday!” Of course he grumbled, like a good man will.
When he finally proposed, it felt so unreal. And I was so relieved and happy to have it finally happen. I felt that Loic really did value me as he claimed. I love wearing this ring now, and it feels so right.
Our story back in the U.S to come next!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
The Wonderlands of Paris and Vienna
Forgive me friends, it has been too long since my/our last blog. I am re-c0mmitting to this blog and my writing. This blog is kind of turning into a "Mostly Rachel Writing - Blog" I suppose. I have a greater interest in sharing myself through writing than Loic does at this point. We'll see what happens.
I am going to skip the writing I did about our Couchsurfing experience, but I'll mention here that its a truly great online community and resource. Also, I am going to skip the writing I did about Hotel Intercontinental, Paris Le Grand, in Paris, although it was amazing for Loic to win a free night as well as a free breakfast there! The following is my first writing on this trip:
I am going to skip the writing I did about our Couchsurfing experience, but I'll mention here that its a truly great online community and resource. Also, I am going to skip the writing I did about Hotel Intercontinental, Paris Le Grand, in Paris, although it was amazing for Loic to win a free night as well as a free breakfast there! The following is my first writing on this trip:
I am writing this while sitting, exhausted, within the palace of Versailles, after doing much of the garden, and then most of the rooms available to the public. Versailles still
impresses, even in this age where little is left to impress us. My feet are hurting and my entire body is sore. Loic is disappointed with me for not being willing to do everything that he wants to do. There is still a lot he has to learn about a Diabetic who has had diabetes for 28 years, and especially one who has just reached her 40th birthday. The body undergoes significant changes between 35 and 40, even for the so-called “normal” person. Loic is 4 years younger than I am, and possibly he will be more sympathetic to my condition as he ages himself.
My endurance level and my ability to handle stress is seemingly much less than his at this moment in time. I have been surprised that he did not book or plan ahead of time some of things we were to do on this trip, since I have known him to be a very good planner and strategizer in general. He surprises me in delightful ways and also in disturbing ways. Although we only had four days in Paris this time around, (although we have both been in Paris before, this is our first time seeing it together, and while I am having a birthday), some of our nights were not booked in advance at any hotel. A word to the wise: If you are spending two weeks or less at a destination, it is a good idea to know where you are going to sleep ahead of time, otherwise, so much of your journey is spent figuring that out, or being preoccupied about it! A bonus tip: Make finding the place where you are going to stay the first night easy to find and travel to.
I also discovered recently that booking a convenient hotel near the airport the night before your plane is due to leave relieves a lot of stress. I have learned so much about travel in such a short period of time, possibly because I have done so much of it without the interruption of that pesky thing called a job…. For one, there are often things that you can add to your list of “Never To Do Again” (am I starting to sound like Bill Bryson here?), and two, lack of communication among travel partners can kill the pleasure in travel. You think you have problems communicating in your relationship, try traveling together. Either you learn fast or the relationship will be destroyed.
I am baffled that Loic needs to be perpetually reminded of my needs and limits—I don’t know how else to keep reminding him yet without getting angry. Yet, back on the issue of surprises, and his ability to brilliantly plan, he delightfully surprised me by having planned two weekend road trips while we were staying with his family in France. While in Vienna, he surprised me with two tickets to a classical music concert in the famous music hall Musikwerein (sp?), as an early birthday present. I really enjoyed that.
I enjoyed Vienna, not only because of the art and architecture ( I saw a fabulous collection by one of my favorite artists, Hundertwasser, later Gustav Klimt and various pre-Raphaelite painters as well), but also because of its musical history. My father’s mother’s family comes from there, and supposedly one of my ancestors sang in the Vienna Opera House. The city is very quiet, the public transportation is excellent, and it even smells good. There isn’t much more that could make me happy. Celine, Loic’s sister, and her husband, Sebastien, were very gracious hosts, with a lovely, spacious apartment, a great bathroom (always a plus), and a very comfortable guest bed, which as it turns out, used to be Loic’s when he lived in Paris. I really enjoyed staying with them and getting to know Jolan and Dorian….
Back to the philosophy of travel. There is so much that I do enjoy, and I’ve realized, in Europe especially. If Costa Rica was nature, then Europe is culture. The world becomes my museum—I enjoy the littlest to the most grandiose things, including shopping. This bothers Loic, who has no patience for my stopping and looking at things that could possibly be purchased. As Hundertwasser says, “The line I trace with my feet walking to the museum is more important and more beautiful than the lines I find there hung up on the walls.” (Paris, 1953, by the way!) Ergo, the sleep I have the night before my visit to the museum, or the breakfast I have before my visit, is more important and more beautiful. Nothing else matters if I don’t eat and sleep well, or if I am not relating well to my travel companions, ultimately.
One of the biggest issues, I feel, among travel companions, is that they must expect to spend time apart some of the time. If travel companions and partners of any kind can agree to do this regularly, it can save and even deepen your commitment to eachother. The trick is to plan these times before either of you gets fed up being together. And the trickiest part, really, is to find a happy compromise between time together and time apart.
More of France to come!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Overview of Rachel's Chicago stay while Loic is elsewhere
This post was written while in France later, at Loic's parents house in Rochefort.
I have to keep this one brief, so here's an overview of my experience...
I came home early to recuperate from the intensity of Costa Rica. When I said goodbye to Loic at the airport, all I could think about was getting home, healing, having some alone time, and being able to practice energy medicine, massage, meditation, dance and exercize again. I didn't feel that I could remind Loic that I thought we had an agreement that we would not ever be apart for longer than three weeks. I was so happy to get home and rest and not be in the heat that for at least a week I was fine alone.
But then I started to really miss him. And it felt like drug withdrawal. After all, we went from two extremes: Before Costa Rica I usually didn't see him for more than a day or two a week. Then, we were together all the time in Costa Rica. I was really fearful of that while planning the trip, but it ended up being the best part of the journey for me. I loved being with him, and sleeping, if not always in the same bed, then in the same room with him. For all of my misery in Costa Rica, the beds were almost always amazingly comfortable, and I slept better there than I have in a really long time. (For those of you who heard of my sleep troubles with Loic, you know what a significant thing all of this is.)
So my nearly two months sojourn back in Chicago was spent sleeping alot, trading massage and Reiki with other practioners, reading, meditating, dancing, and crying alot over Loic. I cried because, at about three weeks, I started to persistently ask him to come home, and reminded him of what I thought was the agreement about the limitation for time apart. I tried to be as positive and as independent as possible during most of our Skype chats, but eventually I started to feel that Loic really preferred to be away from me and that travel was more important to him than being with me. And I hadn't yet been proposed to, something I had been wanting to happen for a long time, and especially before we travelled, which I made him well aware of. It broke my heart.
Meanwhile, Loic climbed a mountain in Costa Rica, hiked in remote areas, saw many amazing landscapes and creatures there as well as Nicaragua. I hope that he will add his own experience of his time alone on this blog, later....
Finally, being extremely brief here, I broke up with Loic in several detailed emails. Those were some of the worst four days I have ever experienced. I learned a lot about grief and the grieving process. Then I emailed him to call me after he emailed me saying some things which made me feel hopeful, such as that he had planned to come home a week earlier than he told me, to surprise me. When we talked on the phone, he agreed to come home as soon as possible. So we ended up spending three weeks together in the apartment before heading to Europe and visiting his family for seven weeks.
To be continued!
I have to keep this one brief, so here's an overview of my experience...
I came home early to recuperate from the intensity of Costa Rica. When I said goodbye to Loic at the airport, all I could think about was getting home, healing, having some alone time, and being able to practice energy medicine, massage, meditation, dance and exercize again. I didn't feel that I could remind Loic that I thought we had an agreement that we would not ever be apart for longer than three weeks. I was so happy to get home and rest and not be in the heat that for at least a week I was fine alone.
But then I started to really miss him. And it felt like drug withdrawal. After all, we went from two extremes: Before Costa Rica I usually didn't see him for more than a day or two a week. Then, we were together all the time in Costa Rica. I was really fearful of that while planning the trip, but it ended up being the best part of the journey for me. I loved being with him, and sleeping, if not always in the same bed, then in the same room with him. For all of my misery in Costa Rica, the beds were almost always amazingly comfortable, and I slept better there than I have in a really long time. (For those of you who heard of my sleep troubles with Loic, you know what a significant thing all of this is.)
So my nearly two months sojourn back in Chicago was spent sleeping alot, trading massage and Reiki with other practioners, reading, meditating, dancing, and crying alot over Loic. I cried because, at about three weeks, I started to persistently ask him to come home, and reminded him of what I thought was the agreement about the limitation for time apart. I tried to be as positive and as independent as possible during most of our Skype chats, but eventually I started to feel that Loic really preferred to be away from me and that travel was more important to him than being with me. And I hadn't yet been proposed to, something I had been wanting to happen for a long time, and especially before we travelled, which I made him well aware of. It broke my heart.
Meanwhile, Loic climbed a mountain in Costa Rica, hiked in remote areas, saw many amazing landscapes and creatures there as well as Nicaragua. I hope that he will add his own experience of his time alone on this blog, later....
Finally, being extremely brief here, I broke up with Loic in several detailed emails. Those were some of the worst four days I have ever experienced. I learned a lot about grief and the grieving process. Then I emailed him to call me after he emailed me saying some things which made me feel hopeful, such as that he had planned to come home a week earlier than he told me, to surprise me. When we talked on the phone, he agreed to come home as soon as possible. So we ended up spending three weeks together in the apartment before heading to Europe and visiting his family for seven weeks.
To be continued!
Monday, April 12, 2010
Last post about Costa Rica! More photos on Loic's Facebook page!
I am actually writing this posting while sitting in the Forest Park library... I changed my mind about staying in Costa Rica and flew back home the next week, on April 5th. Loic got sick and then I got sick, and it just wasn't a very fun situation. I was pretty homesick, literally.
That said, while waiting for these medical supplies to show up in Quepos (and never did), we visited Manuel Antonio National Park-- my first and only park visit-- twice. This park is beautiful-- a green mass of jungle reaching to the sky. A tour guide persuaded us to pay for his services while we stood outside the park entrance at 6:45 a.m. His powerful telescope and trained eyes were worth paying for. We would have missed many wonderful sightings. Native, green parrots, and a pygmy owl feeding it's baby with a lizard, were right outside the park entrance.
While on tour, we caught wonderful views of two- and three-toed sloths, Jesus Christ Lizards (aka Basilisks), a rather large black and blue hummingbird, red-legged crabs, giant light blue morfo butterflies (their official name escapes me)-- as big as a man's hand outspread.
Also a rarely seen Squirrel monkey, a so-called "Stick Bird", which Loic and I swear was stuffed and placed on a branch for the tour guides to "spot", a killer bee hive with the bees swarming around it, two kinds of bats, and most significantly, beautifully-colored Toucans.
The next day we went back with the goal of going to one of the park's beaches, and encountered a family of white-faced monkeys, or Capuchin. I felt like we were inside the monkey cage at the zoo, surrounded by them.
Leaving Quepos, which is actually below sea level, we traveled inland and to a higher elevation--into the Central Valley as it is known. We found a hotel in Alajuela, which shares a border to San Jose. Alajuela is actually a charming town, and San Jose International Airport is technically within it's borders. If you're smart, you'll stay in Alajuela instead of San Jose, before or after your flight. Even though the town is five minutes from the airport, the airplane noise was entirely minimal during the four days we stayed there.
I almost felt like we were staying in a European town, and not nearly as dirty as other towns I've been to in this country. There is not so much humidity and the weather is more temperate for more hours of the day. We unwittingly spent our time here during "Semana Santa" or Holy Week, some of the most religious days of the Catholic year, so much of the town was closed at one time or another. We heard that it is against the law to sell alcohol on Ash Wednesday through Good Friday. We watched the effigy of Jesus with the cross over his shoulders being carried into the cathedral.
Loic came with me to see me off safely, for which I am grateful. I didn't want to beg him to come home with me, but part of me wishes he wanted to. I am very grateful for the experience of Costa Rica, the natural world, the wild life, the nice tan.
I am building up my strength again so that I can enjoy myself in France and Austria, mid-June through early August. At home I can cook in my own kitchen, be with my cats, exercize and learn, and connect with my dearest friends. I hope to earn income, too. These are all so important to me.
That said, while waiting for these medical supplies to show up in Quepos (and never did), we visited Manuel Antonio National Park-- my first and only park visit-- twice. This park is beautiful-- a green mass of jungle reaching to the sky. A tour guide persuaded us to pay for his services while we stood outside the park entrance at 6:45 a.m. His powerful telescope and trained eyes were worth paying for. We would have missed many wonderful sightings. Native, green parrots, and a pygmy owl feeding it's baby with a lizard, were right outside the park entrance.
While on tour, we caught wonderful views of two- and three-toed sloths, Jesus Christ Lizards (aka Basilisks), a rather large black and blue hummingbird, red-legged crabs, giant light blue morfo butterflies (their official name escapes me)-- as big as a man's hand outspread.
Also a rarely seen Squirrel monkey, a so-called "Stick Bird", which Loic and I swear was stuffed and placed on a branch for the tour guides to "spot", a killer bee hive with the bees swarming around it, two kinds of bats, and most significantly, beautifully-colored Toucans.
The next day we went back with the goal of going to one of the park's beaches, and encountered a family of white-faced monkeys, or Capuchin. I felt like we were inside the monkey cage at the zoo, surrounded by them.
Leaving Quepos, which is actually below sea level, we traveled inland and to a higher elevation--into the Central Valley as it is known. We found a hotel in Alajuela, which shares a border to San Jose. Alajuela is actually a charming town, and San Jose International Airport is technically within it's borders. If you're smart, you'll stay in Alajuela instead of San Jose, before or after your flight. Even though the town is five minutes from the airport, the airplane noise was entirely minimal during the four days we stayed there.
I almost felt like we were staying in a European town, and not nearly as dirty as other towns I've been to in this country. There is not so much humidity and the weather is more temperate for more hours of the day. We unwittingly spent our time here during "Semana Santa" or Holy Week, some of the most religious days of the Catholic year, so much of the town was closed at one time or another. We heard that it is against the law to sell alcohol on Ash Wednesday through Good Friday. We watched the effigy of Jesus with the cross over his shoulders being carried into the cathedral.
Loic came with me to see me off safely, for which I am grateful. I didn't want to beg him to come home with me, but part of me wishes he wanted to. I am very grateful for the experience of Costa Rica, the natural world, the wild life, the nice tan.
I am building up my strength again so that I can enjoy myself in France and Austria, mid-June through early August. At home I can cook in my own kitchen, be with my cats, exercize and learn, and connect with my dearest friends. I hope to earn income, too. These are all so important to me.
I have learned so much from Costa Rica: 1) Never rely on one guide book or one point-of-view, for example. People who write guidebooks are always going to be biased towards convincing you to visit a place, right? 2) Always trust your own intuition about a place, and test its "waters". If I had relocated to Costa Rica without visiting it first, I would have been in a deeper mess.
My impression of Costa Rica right now is that it is overrun with tourists, yet in an economic decline. "Se Vende", or "For Sale" signs are everywhere-- including huge hotels that weren't even finished. The nature and wild life IS amazing-- especially if you know how to look.
And with all the active volcanoes, shifting tectonic plates, and intense, near-equatorial heat, Costa Rica definitely has a special energy to it, for those who can enjoy it.
That's all for now, more to come when Loic and I start visiting Europe!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Adventures, Part Seven-- omens and other things
Inspired by my friend and colleague, Laurel, I am slowing returning to an old practice: Looking for signs. Thanks Laurel! I was going to leave Costa Rica this week, and was going to change my flight at any moment, when something changed my mind. I was cutting vegetables for dinner in the common area of this hostel in Quepos, (where we have been too long, waiting for medical supplies to be shipped here for me), when a quiet voice with an English accent said, "So how is your trip going?" I looked up-- there were only two of us--and responded, "Well, it's the end of my trip, actually. I'm headed home." I was engaged in conversation by a "professional vagabond", a young man who had been traveling Costa Rica for nine years, helping out on farms and generating creative solutions for their businesses.
He said that Quepos was one of his two least favorite spots in Costa Rica, the other being Jaco. I felt such great relief-- I wasn't crazy-- it wasn't just me! I then asked him what his most favorite spots were. He described a chocolate farm only a bit inland, at a higher elevation. I am a bit of a chocolate conniseur (yes, I know this is misspelled, but spellcheck doesn't work on this computer), and I relished hearing a description of chocolate manufacturing on the farm.
The conversation was rounded up by his offer to barter some chocolate in his possession for a bit of massage. A spot on his back bothers him chronically, and he hadn't been able to hit it since someone stole his backnobber. I was delighted-- of course I would! I was handed a bag of cocoa powder, a bag of very spicey ginger, and some cocoa butter. It's still not as strong as what I'm used to, but it's fortifying and delicious. Chocolate is a superfood, loaded with antioxidants and iron,and other minerals, if not overprocessed and loaded with sugar. This meeting was an omen for me.
I finished reading The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas, finally. I really enjoyed it. The messages of the book are thus: As long as there exists the possibility that we will one day be happy, life is worth living. And, "Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss." I'm not quite in agreement with this latter idea, although I heartily support the idea of contrast in order to clarify one's desires in life. But I can most certainly transpose the former idea on to my travel experience. And I'm going to stay here a bit longer.
He said that Quepos was one of his two least favorite spots in Costa Rica, the other being Jaco. I felt such great relief-- I wasn't crazy-- it wasn't just me! I then asked him what his most favorite spots were. He described a chocolate farm only a bit inland, at a higher elevation. I am a bit of a chocolate conniseur (yes, I know this is misspelled, but spellcheck doesn't work on this computer), and I relished hearing a description of chocolate manufacturing on the farm.
The conversation was rounded up by his offer to barter some chocolate in his possession for a bit of massage. A spot on his back bothers him chronically, and he hadn't been able to hit it since someone stole his backnobber. I was delighted-- of course I would! I was handed a bag of cocoa powder, a bag of very spicey ginger, and some cocoa butter. It's still not as strong as what I'm used to, but it's fortifying and delicious. Chocolate is a superfood, loaded with antioxidants and iron,and other minerals, if not overprocessed and loaded with sugar. This meeting was an omen for me.
I finished reading The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas, finally. I really enjoyed it. The messages of the book are thus: As long as there exists the possibility that we will one day be happy, life is worth living. And, "Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss." I'm not quite in agreement with this latter idea, although I heartily support the idea of contrast in order to clarify one's desires in life. But I can most certainly transpose the former idea on to my travel experience. And I'm going to stay here a bit longer.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Adventures, Part Six--Mostly Food
I just had a really good massage, by another local transplant named Todd. Actually, half the reason that the massage was really good was that Todd and his girlfriend, along with his beautiful house, have a really awesome vibe. Todd reminded me, by example, to stay in the present moment and be grateful. I know the reader has probably heard this a million times, but I needed to hear it badly. I am remembering some of my favorite literature back home that says that I, in particular, need to practice gratitude, no matter what experience I am having. I must keep coming back to this practice, my foremost "religion".
I feel very grateful for Todd and his girlfriend, and their inspiration, that's for sure. And I think part of my distress here in Costa Rica has probably been ongoing dehydration as well as a possible calcium deficiency... either of these things can make one feel very low in energy, in a fog, as well as chronically tense physically.
The following is a contribution from Loic on the cuisine in Costa Rica:
So far, most of the time, we have stayed in hostels equipped with communal kitchens, where we prepare our meals. Actually, Rachel has been doing most of the cooking. I love her cooking; it's always simple, imaginative, and healthy. I don't cook as much. I admit, I love being taken care of by Rachel for my substantiation. Several people and friends we have met on this trip shared the same enthusiasm about Rachel's ability and ease around food.
Once in a while we visit low-cost eateries called "sodas" (nothing to do with the drink), and enjoy typical food. The most popular dish in this country seems to be the "casados". This consists of one base meat or fish accompanied by small sides such as pasta salad, plantains (fried), rice, a few lettuce and tomatoes, cauliflower (maybe), and beans. All these come on one plate and are intended to provide a full meal. In some places a drink is also included, which is usually a fruit smoothie/drink made with water and is called "naturales". It costs a little more to have it made with milk. We enjoy naturales very much, and get one pretty often. The most refreshing flavors are watermelon, cantelope, and guanabana (another tropical fruit), though we must make sure to ask for only a little sugar or sugar on the side.
Another popular dish is the sopa negra, or black bean soup, cooked with a poached egg or two, and vegetable bits. Of course, fish is very common, as well as pasta. We tried tacos; here they are more like Mexican flautus, meat wrapped in a thin tortilla and deep fried. Usually they are served buried under shredded cabbage and sauced up with mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup. French fries are also often covered with these condiments.
One peculiar thing is that we cannot find real chocolate in this country. It's all labelled "chocolate flavored". There are no lemons as well. Instead, they have different varieties of lime, including one that looks like an unripe orange.
Rachel's addition: Food choices are more limited generally, unless you want to pay tourist prices at the hot restaurant spots. Green leafy vegetables wilt fast in this climate-- so we have ended up eating a lot of cabbage, cucumbers, and parsley. Very little organics here. Bananas and coffee are plentiful and cheap, since they are some of Costa Rica's top crops, along with palm oil.
I feel very grateful for Todd and his girlfriend, and their inspiration, that's for sure. And I think part of my distress here in Costa Rica has probably been ongoing dehydration as well as a possible calcium deficiency... either of these things can make one feel very low in energy, in a fog, as well as chronically tense physically.
The following is a contribution from Loic on the cuisine in Costa Rica:
So far, most of the time, we have stayed in hostels equipped with communal kitchens, where we prepare our meals. Actually, Rachel has been doing most of the cooking. I love her cooking; it's always simple, imaginative, and healthy. I don't cook as much. I admit, I love being taken care of by Rachel for my substantiation. Several people and friends we have met on this trip shared the same enthusiasm about Rachel's ability and ease around food.
Once in a while we visit low-cost eateries called "sodas" (nothing to do with the drink), and enjoy typical food. The most popular dish in this country seems to be the "casados". This consists of one base meat or fish accompanied by small sides such as pasta salad, plantains (fried), rice, a few lettuce and tomatoes, cauliflower (maybe), and beans. All these come on one plate and are intended to provide a full meal. In some places a drink is also included, which is usually a fruit smoothie/drink made with water and is called "naturales". It costs a little more to have it made with milk. We enjoy naturales very much, and get one pretty often. The most refreshing flavors are watermelon, cantelope, and guanabana (another tropical fruit), though we must make sure to ask for only a little sugar or sugar on the side.
Another popular dish is the sopa negra, or black bean soup, cooked with a poached egg or two, and vegetable bits. Of course, fish is very common, as well as pasta. We tried tacos; here they are more like Mexican flautus, meat wrapped in a thin tortilla and deep fried. Usually they are served buried under shredded cabbage and sauced up with mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup. French fries are also often covered with these condiments.
One peculiar thing is that we cannot find real chocolate in this country. It's all labelled "chocolate flavored". There are no lemons as well. Instead, they have different varieties of lime, including one that looks like an unripe orange.
Rachel's addition: Food choices are more limited generally, unless you want to pay tourist prices at the hot restaurant spots. Green leafy vegetables wilt fast in this climate-- so we have ended up eating a lot of cabbage, cucumbers, and parsley. Very little organics here. Bananas and coffee are plentiful and cheap, since they are some of Costa Rica's top crops, along with palm oil.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Adventures, Part 5
We finally left Los Alemendros, and our current residence is in a small, yet still well touristed town South on the Pacific coast called Quepos. Our ultimate destination is meant to be a mountain called Cerro Chirropo, where Loic can climb to the top and feel like a man, and I can hang around the hotel and enjoy cooler weather, maybe even visit a nearby reserve that supposedly has some stunning waterfalls.
The bus ride was pleasant enough, as far as bus journeys here go. It´s the cheapest way to travel, and they have a very sophisticated bus system. Although most busses, to my knowledge, have no airconditioning, and much to my bafflement, no bathrooms! And I´ve been on busrides as long as five hours, with only one pitstop. I am very grateful that I haven´t been desperate for a pitstop. And I actually slept a little sitting upright, something I very rarely do.
Quepos is a halfway point on our journey, and we heard there was good snorkelling here, so I agreed to stay for a bit longer in the heat. Quepos, like many towns, is dirty. And like many coastal towns, is full of foreign tourists. Actually, all of Costa Rica is full of tourists, really. It´s a small country of four million, and it seems like at any one time one quarter of that are foreigners. It´s a bizarre situation.
We took this snorkel tour on a small boat. There were two snorkel spots to visit, and then another beautious sunset to watch on the way back to the shore. I had low expectations of seeing anything, because of the destruction to the reefs, which conservationists are currently battling, and also because of some nay-sayers in town. I jumped off the boat and into the water, and lo and behold, we were surrounded by tropical fish, which we wouldn´t have seen had we not had the snorkel masks.
I have had some significant difficulty acquiring my diabetic supplies here, and there is a lot of red tape to get through if one wants to have medicines shipped into the country. And did I mention that postal theft is quite common, too? Luckily, there are some options of another insulin I can take, and so far it´s been working well enough in my insulin pump. Because my good friend Michele has attempted to send me some strips for my bloodtesting monitor, we´ve got to stick around this town for a little while. As long as I am with Loic it´s worth it right now. I feel lucky.
Yesterday I gave Loic a short massage on one of the picnic tables in the hostel we are staying at. He enjoyed it immensely, and I felt good practicising my skill and using my muscles. Then he gave me a brief massage on my legs and neck... he´s a natural and very good.
I feel ready to go home. I´ve let go of the novel concept of working on a farm, since I have been so physically challenged. This trip has been pretty rough on me physically and emotionally, and if I want to recuperate in order to enjoy myself when we visit Loic´s family for a month in June, I know that I need to be in Chicago for at least a month. So, it´s a question of when we can leave for the mountains, and then head back to San Jose or Alajuela, the latter of which is actually closer to the airport, and is supposed to be a lot nicer.
Next year I may actually visit Los Almendros again, which I consider a treasure, and have it be a briefer trip with better preparation!
The bus ride was pleasant enough, as far as bus journeys here go. It´s the cheapest way to travel, and they have a very sophisticated bus system. Although most busses, to my knowledge, have no airconditioning, and much to my bafflement, no bathrooms! And I´ve been on busrides as long as five hours, with only one pitstop. I am very grateful that I haven´t been desperate for a pitstop. And I actually slept a little sitting upright, something I very rarely do.
Quepos is a halfway point on our journey, and we heard there was good snorkelling here, so I agreed to stay for a bit longer in the heat. Quepos, like many towns, is dirty. And like many coastal towns, is full of foreign tourists. Actually, all of Costa Rica is full of tourists, really. It´s a small country of four million, and it seems like at any one time one quarter of that are foreigners. It´s a bizarre situation.
We took this snorkel tour on a small boat. There were two snorkel spots to visit, and then another beautious sunset to watch on the way back to the shore. I had low expectations of seeing anything, because of the destruction to the reefs, which conservationists are currently battling, and also because of some nay-sayers in town. I jumped off the boat and into the water, and lo and behold, we were surrounded by tropical fish, which we wouldn´t have seen had we not had the snorkel masks.
I have had some significant difficulty acquiring my diabetic supplies here, and there is a lot of red tape to get through if one wants to have medicines shipped into the country. And did I mention that postal theft is quite common, too? Luckily, there are some options of another insulin I can take, and so far it´s been working well enough in my insulin pump. Because my good friend Michele has attempted to send me some strips for my bloodtesting monitor, we´ve got to stick around this town for a little while. As long as I am with Loic it´s worth it right now. I feel lucky.
Yesterday I gave Loic a short massage on one of the picnic tables in the hostel we are staying at. He enjoyed it immensely, and I felt good practicising my skill and using my muscles. Then he gave me a brief massage on my legs and neck... he´s a natural and very good.
I feel ready to go home. I´ve let go of the novel concept of working on a farm, since I have been so physically challenged. This trip has been pretty rough on me physically and emotionally, and if I want to recuperate in order to enjoy myself when we visit Loic´s family for a month in June, I know that I need to be in Chicago for at least a month. So, it´s a question of when we can leave for the mountains, and then head back to San Jose or Alajuela, the latter of which is actually closer to the airport, and is supposed to be a lot nicer.
Next year I may actually visit Los Almendros again, which I consider a treasure, and have it be a briefer trip with better preparation!
Adventures, Part 4
Well, well, well... Did I mention it´s hot here? Believe it or not, I never expected it be as hot as it is. The travel guides I have read talk about the variety of climates, which is true, but not how brutal the heat can be on the coast. What was I thinking? We ARE ten degrees away from the equator, and the sun rises and sets very quickly, lingering high in the sky a bit longer. I am actually missing Chicago, which I have been recently told, was 65 Farenheit the other day, and now in the middle of a snow storm.
On a softer note, at Los Almendros I truly experienced the rhythm of the moon, where I´ve had the luxury of spending virtually all my time outside, although at the mercy of the weather, and in close contact with the ocean. I intimately know the tides through the moon´s phases, and how the beach changes as a result. I watched hermit crabs migrate under full-moon light, then the ocean became tranquil and the jungle, normally cacaphanous at night, became mute under the dark and new moon. I watched the insects around us change in similar fashion.
I never expected that I would be almost deliriously tired so much of the time.. the universed took my intention of slowing down a bit to the extreme. My diabetes and my age must be affecting my heat and humidity tolerance. I am looking forward to being in another climate where it feels good to get my heart rate sped up....
It´s amazing to think how bugs used to drive me crazy with fear, paranoia, annoyance-- and how much calmer I am about them now. I have watched Loic catch and release everything from scorpions, a tarantula, to huge cockroaches--even ants, in his refusal to kill anything, with the exception of mosquitoes. There are a huge variety of ants here, and two of the tiniest will bite, too. I am a bit less of a pacifist than he is.
Last night Loic and I were invited home to dinner by Nuria, a Tica who is employed on the property of Los Almendros. If I am to believe what Lonely Planet says, this is considered a great honor. The Ticos are very friendly, but it could take a long while to be invited home, if ever. I feel honored anyway. We ate a fish bought from a local fisherman, baked on hot coals in the ground of her and her boyfriend´s backyard. Her boyfriend, Juan Carlos, is the carpenter responsible for building all the beautiful wood buildings, and the cement and tiled bathhouse and extraneous bathrooms. The fish was served with baked sweet plaintains, stuffed with a typical cheese, a vegetable salad, and the ever-present rice. Costa Rican food is a mixture of Carribean food and the foods of the Spanish Conquistadores. Costa Rican beer was also served.
A family of Mapeches, or Racoons, silently appeared after our dinner, expecting to be fed along with the cats. Nuria has been feeding them, and I wonder if that is why they have left our kitchenhouse alone.
Before we sat down to eat, a young Boa Constrictor crawled under their outdoor washing machine-- my first sighting, but Loic´s third. I spotted my first Basilisk lizard earlier in the afternoon while in the hammock. I walked into the toilet, and another Basilisk was just sitting their about to leave out the window. Only a few feet away from me, we stared at eachother for a few minutes. It felt like encountering an alien.
It´s really exciting to me to spot these creatures that usually prefer to stay hidden. I think a lot of tourists will flock to the national parks or reserves loaded with their binoculars, and still miss most of the wild life--because of a refusal to slow down and be quiet and look carefully and listen. All I´ve had to do is lie in my hammock and the wild life just shows up. I think some people never get to see the Blue Morfo, and yet I´ve seen countless of these huge, ethereal butterflies. Learning to look and see and listen are priceless skills. One reason to cherish my inability to do
much more.
I feel closer than ever to Loic. People told me this would happen, but I doubted that it would, what with the tension that travel can create in couples or even traveling companions. While there are still things to be worked out between us, I feel so joyful and deeply happy to be with him. Just as he kissed me after lunch today, a stunning Blue Morfo glided by us, and I felt that we were being given a blessing from Spirit.
On a softer note, at Los Almendros I truly experienced the rhythm of the moon, where I´ve had the luxury of spending virtually all my time outside, although at the mercy of the weather, and in close contact with the ocean. I intimately know the tides through the moon´s phases, and how the beach changes as a result. I watched hermit crabs migrate under full-moon light, then the ocean became tranquil and the jungle, normally cacaphanous at night, became mute under the dark and new moon. I watched the insects around us change in similar fashion.
I never expected that I would be almost deliriously tired so much of the time.. the universed took my intention of slowing down a bit to the extreme. My diabetes and my age must be affecting my heat and humidity tolerance. I am looking forward to being in another climate where it feels good to get my heart rate sped up....
It´s amazing to think how bugs used to drive me crazy with fear, paranoia, annoyance-- and how much calmer I am about them now. I have watched Loic catch and release everything from scorpions, a tarantula, to huge cockroaches--even ants, in his refusal to kill anything, with the exception of mosquitoes. There are a huge variety of ants here, and two of the tiniest will bite, too. I am a bit less of a pacifist than he is.
Last night Loic and I were invited home to dinner by Nuria, a Tica who is employed on the property of Los Almendros. If I am to believe what Lonely Planet says, this is considered a great honor. The Ticos are very friendly, but it could take a long while to be invited home, if ever. I feel honored anyway. We ate a fish bought from a local fisherman, baked on hot coals in the ground of her and her boyfriend´s backyard. Her boyfriend, Juan Carlos, is the carpenter responsible for building all the beautiful wood buildings, and the cement and tiled bathhouse and extraneous bathrooms. The fish was served with baked sweet plaintains, stuffed with a typical cheese, a vegetable salad, and the ever-present rice. Costa Rican food is a mixture of Carribean food and the foods of the Spanish Conquistadores. Costa Rican beer was also served.
A family of Mapeches, or Racoons, silently appeared after our dinner, expecting to be fed along with the cats. Nuria has been feeding them, and I wonder if that is why they have left our kitchenhouse alone.
Before we sat down to eat, a young Boa Constrictor crawled under their outdoor washing machine-- my first sighting, but Loic´s third. I spotted my first Basilisk lizard earlier in the afternoon while in the hammock. I walked into the toilet, and another Basilisk was just sitting their about to leave out the window. Only a few feet away from me, we stared at eachother for a few minutes. It felt like encountering an alien.
It´s really exciting to me to spot these creatures that usually prefer to stay hidden. I think a lot of tourists will flock to the national parks or reserves loaded with their binoculars, and still miss most of the wild life--because of a refusal to slow down and be quiet and look carefully and listen. All I´ve had to do is lie in my hammock and the wild life just shows up. I think some people never get to see the Blue Morfo, and yet I´ve seen countless of these huge, ethereal butterflies. Learning to look and see and listen are priceless skills. One reason to cherish my inability to do
much more.
I feel closer than ever to Loic. People told me this would happen, but I doubted that it would, what with the tension that travel can create in couples or even traveling companions. While there are still things to be worked out between us, I feel so joyful and deeply happy to be with him. Just as he kissed me after lunch today, a stunning Blue Morfo glided by us, and I felt that we were being given a blessing from Spirit.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Adventures Part 3, Link to Photos!
Here is the link to photos on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2056466&id=1395797881&l=bae23b99be
The last few weeks have been like a dream. I have felt at times that I wanted to wake up from it, and at times I felt that I wanted it to keep going on. I developed a fast bond with another woman named Letitia, also living at Los Almendros. We both feel that we must have known eachother in a past life, sharing a passion for shamanism and women's spirituality/paganism. She is a dynamic, ambitious, entrepreneurial, enthusiastic and empowered person, similar to Danielle. Letitia has a really strong mastery of money, and runs her own businesses-- a horse ranch and an alternative school for children in Vermont.
She eventually introduced me to NonViolent Communication, or NVC, or some call it and I prefer to call it, Compassionate Communication. It is a way to express oneself, make sure everyone is heard, and make sure everyone's needs are being met ongoingly-- without alienation but instead maintaining deep connection to eachother and oneself. My deep desire to find help for Loic and I during this trip had manifested!
Ironically, the tension between Loic and I escalated during the time that we were spending time with Danielle and Letitia, and later I realized that a lot of it had to do with him feeling unconnected to "girl stuff" and feeling left out and bored, and as a result restless and wanting to move on to other places. We had a blow up where he left in the night and I had no idea where he was going or if I would see him again.
Before this happened, the four of us took a road trip to a town about 30 miles away-- which means a 4 to 5 hour trip in Costa Rica unless you're lucky and get a paved road. Danielle and Letitia had appointments with a world famous healer in Playa Samara, a popular beach town like Montezuma. We drove up into the hills, into farm and ranching country, and far away from other tourists, at 5:45 a.m., just as the sun rose, sparkling, over the ocean. We prayed that the Four Wheel Drive rental would make it through the rocks and up steep inclines and down, through the rivers--gratefully low in the dry season.
Whenever we passed a vista we would sigh, and whenever we passed a rancher or farmer we made sure we were going in the right direction. Roads and towns are not always listed on the maps, and there are often no signs. Loic, the most fluent in Spanish, was gracious enough to get out and ask for directions when we needed it.
Coming home, we passed a beach just South of the town, called Playa Carillo. This long stretch of beach had absolutely no one on it until the very end, where one hotel had been erected. As yet a nearly undeveloped piece of paradise-- like a dream. We continued home on the coastal route, and made it safely back, full of road dust.
Letitia and Danielle left for the States the day after Loic left, and I spent three and a half days alone at Los Almendros. I missed Loic badly, and missed him sleeping in the bed with me, but the alone time was good and I enjoyed it. When he returned he had stories for me of his travels to a town South on the coast, and I felt an even stronger bond with him than ever. Another woman who arrived at Los Almendros is a Couples Counselor, and she told me that it is so important how well a couple fights, and how well they make up. The "fight" could have been better, but the making up was excellent, and we both were able to create a lot of peace for eachother.
Despite my resistance, I am still speaking Spanish. I continue to watch sunrises and sunsets on the beach that I have almost entirely to myself. Gumercindo, one of the groundskeepers, brought me manzanas de agua, or water apple, which are like a cross between an apple and a pear. I watched a treetrimmer named Octavio climb the very high coconut palms and bring down young coconuts (they will fall and cause damage to humans and structures, otherwise). He showed me his handmade treeclimbing boots and machete, with leather case, and cut open a number of coconuts to pour me a pitcherful of agua de pipa.
Dona Marina, the owner's mother, introduced me to the Ylang Ylang tree near her house. The smell of the fresh Ylang Ylang flower is heavenly, and the essential oils of this flower I have smelled absolutely pale in comparison. Nurea, the other groundskeeper, brought us homemade Sopa Verdura, and it was amazing. I tried to emulate it, and we will all eat it tonite. We'll see if it is as good!
Hasta Luego!
The last few weeks have been like a dream. I have felt at times that I wanted to wake up from it, and at times I felt that I wanted it to keep going on. I developed a fast bond with another woman named Letitia, also living at Los Almendros. We both feel that we must have known eachother in a past life, sharing a passion for shamanism and women's spirituality/paganism. She is a dynamic, ambitious, entrepreneurial, enthusiastic and empowered person, similar to Danielle. Letitia has a really strong mastery of money, and runs her own businesses-- a horse ranch and an alternative school for children in Vermont.
She eventually introduced me to NonViolent Communication, or NVC, or some call it and I prefer to call it, Compassionate Communication. It is a way to express oneself, make sure everyone is heard, and make sure everyone's needs are being met ongoingly-- without alienation but instead maintaining deep connection to eachother and oneself. My deep desire to find help for Loic and I during this trip had manifested!
Ironically, the tension between Loic and I escalated during the time that we were spending time with Danielle and Letitia, and later I realized that a lot of it had to do with him feeling unconnected to "girl stuff" and feeling left out and bored, and as a result restless and wanting to move on to other places. We had a blow up where he left in the night and I had no idea where he was going or if I would see him again.
Before this happened, the four of us took a road trip to a town about 30 miles away-- which means a 4 to 5 hour trip in Costa Rica unless you're lucky and get a paved road. Danielle and Letitia had appointments with a world famous healer in Playa Samara, a popular beach town like Montezuma. We drove up into the hills, into farm and ranching country, and far away from other tourists, at 5:45 a.m., just as the sun rose, sparkling, over the ocean. We prayed that the Four Wheel Drive rental would make it through the rocks and up steep inclines and down, through the rivers--gratefully low in the dry season.
Whenever we passed a vista we would sigh, and whenever we passed a rancher or farmer we made sure we were going in the right direction. Roads and towns are not always listed on the maps, and there are often no signs. Loic, the most fluent in Spanish, was gracious enough to get out and ask for directions when we needed it.
Coming home, we passed a beach just South of the town, called Playa Carillo. This long stretch of beach had absolutely no one on it until the very end, where one hotel had been erected. As yet a nearly undeveloped piece of paradise-- like a dream. We continued home on the coastal route, and made it safely back, full of road dust.
Letitia and Danielle left for the States the day after Loic left, and I spent three and a half days alone at Los Almendros. I missed Loic badly, and missed him sleeping in the bed with me, but the alone time was good and I enjoyed it. When he returned he had stories for me of his travels to a town South on the coast, and I felt an even stronger bond with him than ever. Another woman who arrived at Los Almendros is a Couples Counselor, and she told me that it is so important how well a couple fights, and how well they make up. The "fight" could have been better, but the making up was excellent, and we both were able to create a lot of peace for eachother.
Despite my resistance, I am still speaking Spanish. I continue to watch sunrises and sunsets on the beach that I have almost entirely to myself. Gumercindo, one of the groundskeepers, brought me manzanas de agua, or water apple, which are like a cross between an apple and a pear. I watched a treetrimmer named Octavio climb the very high coconut palms and bring down young coconuts (they will fall and cause damage to humans and structures, otherwise). He showed me his handmade treeclimbing boots and machete, with leather case, and cut open a number of coconuts to pour me a pitcherful of agua de pipa.
Dona Marina, the owner's mother, introduced me to the Ylang Ylang tree near her house. The smell of the fresh Ylang Ylang flower is heavenly, and the essential oils of this flower I have smelled absolutely pale in comparison. Nurea, the other groundskeeper, brought us homemade Sopa Verdura, and it was amazing. I tried to emulate it, and we will all eat it tonite. We'll see if it is as good!
Hasta Luego!
Monday, March 1, 2010
The Adventure Continues
Let me begin this entry by cautioning the reader that I have not necessarily been recounting our journey chronologically-- if anyone would like clarification, please feel free to comment or email me.
With that said, our journey through Costa Rican towns chronologically has been thus: San Jose, in the hills- La Fortuna and then the ranching town of Tilaran, then traveling through Puntarenas, where we caught the ferry to the Nicoya Peninsula on the Pacific coast to end up in the largely hippie/ beachbum/ and rasta town of Montezuma. We are currently situated halfway between Montezuma and the outpost town of Cabuya, on the Southern most tip of the Peninsula. In the past two weeks we have lived constantly about 30 meters away from the ocean.
Already I am feeling like a different person. It's hard to be able to convey everything.
Many days went by, along the coast here, where it was too hot to do much; getting hot by 8 a.m., and not cooling off until about 5 p.m. Some days it wouldn't peacefully cool off until the wee hours of the morning. One can begin to understand the "art of doing nothing", as the Italians say, which has been fine with me as I've been too tired and lie in a hammock in the shade if I can.
In Montezuma, Danielle took us to see two waterfalls, both with cold, fresh water, and they felt so refreshing. The ocean does too, but it's still pretty warm, and then one wants to rinse off the salt. One of the waterfalls is called, "La Cascada de Los Piedras Coloradas", or the Waterfall of the Colored Stones, and they are amazing gems. The entire shore line is one big treasure chest, filled with amazing stones and crystals, and shells of all varieties, including pukas and other items with naturally formed holes. So many wear the sea of jewels on themselves.
We met a meditation teacher, who ended up privately guiding us (Loic and I) in meditation at dusk on the beaches, daily for about a week. I was so delighted that Loic went out of his way to participate in this, without any prompting from me. This fulfilled a secret dream of mine for Loic and I to meditate together, and I hope that we can pick it up again, soon. The first or second time we meditated with Mateo, it was a larger group sit at Viktoras Kulvinskas'house in the hills (the raw food guru and Danielle's mentor and employer here--she's been his personal assistant). We had another, although distant, view of the ocean on this open hut-like veranda, and it was the first time in years that I had a floating sensation, and transcendant perception of consciousness while meditating.
At one point during the meditation I peeked at Loic, who was sitting next to me, and saw his hands resting on his knees. He looked very beautiful. I don't think I could have been happier, more peaceful, or felt more alive at that point. I began to cry towards the end, out of joy, and as we were completing, Danielles' kitten "Puma" crawled onto my lap and fell asleep. It was all such a precious gift.
I feel that I have been detoxifying in my mind and body. Where we are staying is called, "Estudio Los Almendros", and the owner has let us rent one of the tiny screened in cabins. This is my sanctuary in the jungle. We have been greeted just outside of our "hut" by families of Howler and Capuchin Monkeys, and one day a group of Agouti, which is a brite orange-brown cross between a ground hog and a wombat. And the iguanas, geckos, other lizards on the trees and ground-- everywhere. Last night while preparing dinner in the kitchen house, a tarantula crawled past me. I hollered for Loic to come look. Of course there are photos....
I have learned from the owner how to strengthen my feet, which, she says, are connected to my diabetes. The orthotics I stopped wearing had made my feet really weak, and created horrible knee pain and limitation in my right knee. I still am unable to sit cross-legged in meditation, but at least my entire body has been pain-free here!
The owner has also said to another resident, Letitia, that we must learn to move from our organs, mainly our intestines, instead of our limbs-- the intestines are the first thing to form in the fetus, and if we learn to move and breathe from them, we can increase our vitality and prevent a lot of dysfunction and pain. I am intrigued and already I am feeling good employing what is perhaps our true "core".
I've been told by Mateo and others that we are just on the fringe of what is known as a Blue Zone, or a place in the world, independent of it's monetary wealth, is a place of happiness and longevity. Some people think it is because the water here is some of the best quality in the world. So I am drinking from the tap for the first time since I was 12. But I think there is more to it-- the culture is a healthy one, and like the Italians, the Ticos know how to be content and slow down.
I have been covering myself in Lavendar oil at bedtime, to prevent some tiny bugs from biting me at night, and it works like a charm. It has the added benefit of knocking me out like a tranquilizer. I can't keep my eyes open after slathering it on. The blend called "Purification" has been fabulous for warding off mosquitoes, which are pretty scarce anyway here in the dry season. But since I am running out of it, I keep it for when I get a bite and apply a drop to that. Takes away itch and sting immediately. Amazing stuff.
We have mastered the art of hitchiking, safe and very common here, so that we can get into the towns for provisions when we need to. We meet a lot of interesting people this way-- local Ticos, Italians, Germans, French, a Colombian couple here on holiday, and of course, Americans vacationing.
I am loving Loic more and more, and despite the bumps we've had, really enjoy being around him and being with him. My dear friend Michele said we would resolve our conflict and learn how to blend-- be the Yin and Yang. I told Loic I was the Yin to Yang, and have addressed him as Monsieur Yang or something like that. It feels good to acknowledge that although we are so different we can be very good partners and compliment eachother.
More to come!
With that said, our journey through Costa Rican towns chronologically has been thus: San Jose, in the hills- La Fortuna and then the ranching town of Tilaran, then traveling through Puntarenas, where we caught the ferry to the Nicoya Peninsula on the Pacific coast to end up in the largely hippie/ beachbum/ and rasta town of Montezuma. We are currently situated halfway between Montezuma and the outpost town of Cabuya, on the Southern most tip of the Peninsula. In the past two weeks we have lived constantly about 30 meters away from the ocean.
Already I am feeling like a different person. It's hard to be able to convey everything.
Many days went by, along the coast here, where it was too hot to do much; getting hot by 8 a.m., and not cooling off until about 5 p.m. Some days it wouldn't peacefully cool off until the wee hours of the morning. One can begin to understand the "art of doing nothing", as the Italians say, which has been fine with me as I've been too tired and lie in a hammock in the shade if I can.
In Montezuma, Danielle took us to see two waterfalls, both with cold, fresh water, and they felt so refreshing. The ocean does too, but it's still pretty warm, and then one wants to rinse off the salt. One of the waterfalls is called, "La Cascada de Los Piedras Coloradas", or the Waterfall of the Colored Stones, and they are amazing gems. The entire shore line is one big treasure chest, filled with amazing stones and crystals, and shells of all varieties, including pukas and other items with naturally formed holes. So many wear the sea of jewels on themselves.
We met a meditation teacher, who ended up privately guiding us (Loic and I) in meditation at dusk on the beaches, daily for about a week. I was so delighted that Loic went out of his way to participate in this, without any prompting from me. This fulfilled a secret dream of mine for Loic and I to meditate together, and I hope that we can pick it up again, soon. The first or second time we meditated with Mateo, it was a larger group sit at Viktoras Kulvinskas'house in the hills (the raw food guru and Danielle's mentor and employer here--she's been his personal assistant). We had another, although distant, view of the ocean on this open hut-like veranda, and it was the first time in years that I had a floating sensation, and transcendant perception of consciousness while meditating.
At one point during the meditation I peeked at Loic, who was sitting next to me, and saw his hands resting on his knees. He looked very beautiful. I don't think I could have been happier, more peaceful, or felt more alive at that point. I began to cry towards the end, out of joy, and as we were completing, Danielles' kitten "Puma" crawled onto my lap and fell asleep. It was all such a precious gift.
I feel that I have been detoxifying in my mind and body. Where we are staying is called, "Estudio Los Almendros", and the owner has let us rent one of the tiny screened in cabins. This is my sanctuary in the jungle. We have been greeted just outside of our "hut" by families of Howler and Capuchin Monkeys, and one day a group of Agouti, which is a brite orange-brown cross between a ground hog and a wombat. And the iguanas, geckos, other lizards on the trees and ground-- everywhere. Last night while preparing dinner in the kitchen house, a tarantula crawled past me. I hollered for Loic to come look. Of course there are photos....
I have learned from the owner how to strengthen my feet, which, she says, are connected to my diabetes. The orthotics I stopped wearing had made my feet really weak, and created horrible knee pain and limitation in my right knee. I still am unable to sit cross-legged in meditation, but at least my entire body has been pain-free here!
The owner has also said to another resident, Letitia, that we must learn to move from our organs, mainly our intestines, instead of our limbs-- the intestines are the first thing to form in the fetus, and if we learn to move and breathe from them, we can increase our vitality and prevent a lot of dysfunction and pain. I am intrigued and already I am feeling good employing what is perhaps our true "core".
I've been told by Mateo and others that we are just on the fringe of what is known as a Blue Zone, or a place in the world, independent of it's monetary wealth, is a place of happiness and longevity. Some people think it is because the water here is some of the best quality in the world. So I am drinking from the tap for the first time since I was 12. But I think there is more to it-- the culture is a healthy one, and like the Italians, the Ticos know how to be content and slow down.
I have been covering myself in Lavendar oil at bedtime, to prevent some tiny bugs from biting me at night, and it works like a charm. It has the added benefit of knocking me out like a tranquilizer. I can't keep my eyes open after slathering it on. The blend called "Purification" has been fabulous for warding off mosquitoes, which are pretty scarce anyway here in the dry season. But since I am running out of it, I keep it for when I get a bite and apply a drop to that. Takes away itch and sting immediately. Amazing stuff.
We have mastered the art of hitchiking, safe and very common here, so that we can get into the towns for provisions when we need to. We meet a lot of interesting people this way-- local Ticos, Italians, Germans, French, a Colombian couple here on holiday, and of course, Americans vacationing.
I am loving Loic more and more, and despite the bumps we've had, really enjoy being around him and being with him. My dear friend Michele said we would resolve our conflict and learn how to blend-- be the Yin and Yang. I told Loic I was the Yin to Yang, and have addressed him as Monsieur Yang or something like that. It feels good to acknowledge that although we are so different we can be very good partners and compliment eachother.
More to come!
Thursday, February 25, 2010
The Adventure Begins! February 12, 2010
Spirit Air- I like the name of this budget airlines, and it was a smooth, pleasant trip. A caveat: "Budget", at least for Spirit Air, means no movies, audio, only one bathroom on either end of the plane, and they charge even more money for food, drinks, and even if you want to choose your seat. Luckily, my one checked baggage weighed under the maximum weight of 50 pounds. We probably saved $100 per ticket, even though we had to pay for our checked baggage (so common, now.) We could have saved $75 more per ticket if we hadn't waited until the final two weeks before our desired departure date. Overall, it was a rather comfortable flight, and there was a third, empty seat next to Loic and I, so I got to stretch out on it!
San Jose, Costa Rica, the urban capital of the country, is a gritty, noisy city with very scary potholes in the sidewalks, and deep gutters to accomodate the rainy seasons. A nightmare for the most able-bodied pedestrian, where the diesel-fueled (?) car always has the right of way. The five hour busride we took to escape the city, heading north to the tourist destination of La Fortuna (or Fortuna, depending on your reference) completely fumigated me. Although still neausous from the rocking and winding through the mountains, I periodically put a drop of peppermint oil on my wrist and licked it off-- what a lifesaver! I didn't plan on the poor road quality here, where much of the roads are dirt and rocky. The pride of the country is the one big cross-continental highway, which has recently been paved. I have had to remind myself that this is a much poorer country than I am used to.
Peppermint oil is perfect in a place such as this, where it can revive you, calm neausa, fight unhelpful microbes in the digestive system, and cool you off, especially if placed in strategic places, such as the back of the neck. Did I mention it is brutally hot here? (Well, at least on the coastline and lower elevations.)
We stayed at a budget hotel in La Fortuna, called Hotel Dorothy. I liked it-- simple, great view of the volcano Arenal and the surrounding hillside, great bed. The beds in this country are made of a mattress --some cheap version of memory foam, on top of a wooden frame with wooden planks, and the pillows are chopped up bits of this foam. I generally sleep really well, as long as I can get to sleep by 9 p.m. I think the pull of the earth and the sun is stronger here, so close to the equator, and I can't seem to keep my eyes open past this time, and I wake up, almost without fail, around 5:15.
Pricing of food, etc., has not been impressive. Food quality and variety is much more limited of course, often cheaper than the U.S., but not as cheap as we would like it be for us long-term travellers on a budget. Despite this, I have done some pretty fabulous cooking. I have cooked ripe as well as green Platanos (Plantain), as well as Yuca (Yucca) for the first time. And the black beans here are delicious. The coffee is excellent, although don't count on any good cream or milk to go with it. And to my greatest surprise, although the Ticos love their young coconut water (agua de pipa), it doesn't taste like what I'm used to in the U.S., where the coconuts come from Thailand, I think, and any other coconut products have been really hard to come by, unless you want coconut milk in a can, with preservatives. Weird.
This country has yet to smell truly "green" to me, and I am realizing it is probably because other tropical places I have visited during the wet season-- our Autumn, and this is my first time in a tropical place in the dry season. Still quite lush, though, but the roads create a lot of dust.
I am able to communicate rather well in Spanish. I am picking more and more up despite the presence of English-speaking people. Loic may not think so, but their presence and his presence help me in a way. I can get translations, and process more of the language that way.
The wild life is fabulous. So many birds, butterflies, monkeys, iguanas, other lizards. There have been a few bat encounters. Hawks, vultures, cormorants, pelicans, sandpipers, several varieties of brilliantly-colored tanegers. A close encounter of a family of Agouti outside our front door. And the ever-present magpie-blue jay, along with the great-tailed grackle. The Blue Morphous (Morfo Azul) butterfly is magickal. Loic encountered a boa constrictor swallowing the special variety of squirrel here, which is red orange on the bottom, an black on top.
My first flip-out with Loic occurred on the first day in San Jose. I was ready to fly home, or fly to the coast to see my good friend, Danielle! I expected there might be some of these experiences, but Loic didn't. When we finally visited Danielle, it was wonderful to hear her mention a previous trip with an old boyfriend, where she said they fought all the time. Loic has been surprised by my anger and emotional volatility, and I've been surprised by the stubbornness of the male mentality-- which sometimes can not hear or understand the females needs for basic things, like quiet, good food, a comfortable bed. We both need reminding that this is a pretty typical experience between men and women travelling, although Loic is quite calm and accepting of me, generally, which is amazing. Despite how much he baffles me sometimes, as I am sure I baffle him, he is a wonderful travel companion. I have to remember that although he expects me to take care of him in certain ways (we both acknowledge it as mothering), I have also been expecting him to take care of me, too. I think we've both been accepting of this.
In this country we've been spending an average of $50 US per day so far, for the two of us, not counting the airfares here and back. $40 is our budget according to Loic's calculations for a four month trip. Avoiding souvenirs, sleeping in hostels and budget places, negotiating prices for lodging, taking buses instead of taxis, hitchhiking instead of taking buses-- all have helped. We've gone over simply because I have to eat a lot and well, and I am picky, of course, about where we sleep. If it were up to Loic, we would survive on pasta, rice, bread, and camp or sleep in dormortories. The price of $33 per night seems often advertised, but is often negotiable, especially if there is a shared bathroom, and one isn't desperate for a place to stay.
A few nights ago I couldn't fall asleep until one a.m. --very unusual. We have been sleeping near the ocean, and the moon was nearly full. The ocean seemed especially loud. Then I felt the earth tremble-- once, twice, maybe three times, although gently. I shared this the next morning with a number of people, and no one else had felt it. Yesterday an earthquake was reported in Peru or Chile, and a Tsunami warning ensued for much of the Pacific and Carribean. A neighbor, along with Loic and I, wondered if and when we would need to head for the hills, and if it would do much good. So it has made me feel a bit more cautitous here.
I am pretty proud of how accepting I am of living in the jungle right now, along with the other living things and bugs. I call it "luxury camping".
Much, much more to come!
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